Deadline’s Contenders TV panel for Landman hosted a very cool group of guys: Sam Elliott, Andy Garcia, director/EP Stephen Kay and Billy Bob Thornton — who looked at every bit the rock star and cowboy onstage at the DGA Theater after playing a sold-out show with his band The Boxmasters at Stagecoach the night before.

Thornton explained why becoming the series’ Tommy Norris came naturally to him. 

“It’s easy to play father-son relationships when you’re a father, and when you had a father that you had a very tricky relationship with,” he said. “I was just kind of putting on a nice pair of worn-in pants.” He added of his TV dad, “Sam and I go way back, so it was easy.” 

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As for why this second season of the hit Paramount+ drama has resonated with so many people, Elliott summed it up best. “This show is a reflection of what we all would like to deal with from day to day,” he said. “People that you want to be around, people you love that are decent to each other. Today more than anytime, that’s what we’re all craving.”

The Season 2 finale in January drew in 15.8 million viewers in the first two days, making it the most-watched original series finale ever for Paramount+. Director Kay believes the immense international success of Landman is due to a genuine affection that exists amongst them. “We love each other, and you can sort of feel it when you watch the show. There’s a whole lot of heart.”

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Thornton admitted to being surprised by the international attention Landman has garnered, thinking that they were making this show for a much smaller audience.

“We thought it was going to appeal to the middle of the country, that was the hope for it,” he said. “We didn’t think the coasts would go for it — we certainly didn’t think it would become this huge international hit. We had no idea; we’re humbled by that and very proud of it. We have fans in Uganda, Australia and everywhere else. I think a lot of it, and this is just my feeling, it’s because the characters are all unabashedly who they are, and they’re just honest about everything. Taylor [Sheridan’s] shows normally will have a vibe, and this has several — emotion and humor and drama and absurdity and danger, all those different things. I think the variety on it appeals to people.”

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For Elliott it’s not about Emmys or other accolades. Getting the chance to continue doing what he loves is all he can ask for. “It’s an amazing bunch of people to work with. That’s the gift,” he said. “I can’t call it anything but a gift. The fact I’m still working at this point is a gift.” 

Season 3 of Landman was announced in December and is set to begin shooting in May. 

Check back Monday for the panel video.